View Full Version : Anyone have experience with Occidental Stronghold Phoenix?
I am looking for a new IWB and came across this holster while on TT Gunleather site. Seems like a decent design. I'm just not familiar with how thick/thin they are.
Edit 4/01/2011 - Got the holster today except wrong hand was sent. The one I need is out of stock and won't be shipped out till next Friday or the following monday. It appears when the right one is here it will be a good holster. Construction is excellent on this one.
No but i might order one for my HK USPf 9mm for carry. The HK Pro forum has some pics of one now the thread is called Guns and Leather. Alot of talk about this holster going on now, good luck To save you time here is the link with a good pic.and review.
http://www.hkpro.com/forum/showthread.php?120504-New-leather-(pics-initial-review)
I am looking for a new IWB and came across this holster while on TT Gunleather site. Seems like a decent design. I'm just not familiar with how thick/thin they are.
I have one for my G19/23 and my 1911. They are amazingly comfortable and position the pistol at the perfect height. They are completely handmade and the best part is there is no wait. You will have it within just a few days. If you google them, there isn't a single complaint.
Looks great. I'll have to check these guys out and pick one up sometime - for when I'm in a mood for some leather.
Great holster. I started with the Phoenix, then went to this because I wanted an OWB option in a leather holster. http://www.bestbelt.com/product/gunleather/1329.html
I like the convertible more because it has less cant and seems to ride a bit higher. Both are fine holsters IMO.
Once broken in, they hold my m&p9fs very snug.
Just ordered one for my M&P compact. :D
http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/3659/gunmay076.jpg (http://img708.imageshack.us/i/gunmay076.jpg/) Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)
Here are some photos of my two Phoenix holsters.
ETA: The Glock holster is almost a year old and I wear it everyday. The 1911 holster was purchased last week. That just shows you how well they wear. I'm confident that they both will last for decades to come.
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm192/mamartin043/DSC_0541.jpg
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm192/mamartin043/DSC_0542.jpg
Inside of the Glock holster
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm192/mamartin043/DSC_0543.jpg
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm192/mamartin043/DSC_0545.jpg
And some of the 1911
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm192/mamartin043/DSC_0546.jpg
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm192/mamartin043/DSC_0547.jpg
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm192/mamartin043/DSC_0550.jpg
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm192/mamartin043/DSC_0551.jpg
Thanks for this thread. Just got a Walther PPS and between a 6 month wait for a Milt Sparks VM2 and the fact that Kramer doesn't have the PPS listed on their website, I had resigned myself to using a shitty Blade Tech IWB kydex holster for the time being.
These guys, however, had the Stronghold Phoenix for the PPS in stock and ready to ship. After some more investigation it seemed Kramer may be making holsters for the PPS and I hemed-and-hawed (I love my Kramer #3 for my Glock 19) but decided to give Occidental a shot. I'm taking the Blade Tech back to the store today.
Really looking forward to receiving the holster and trying it out.
I had one for a Glock 17. Excellent craftmanship. Not functional.
The holster was so incredibly, ridiculously tight, I had to remove the holster and pry the gun out. I tried stretching it with plastic bags over the gun for several months and gave up.
Milt Sparks for me.
They were tight, no doubt. But I simply wore the holster around the house and did multiple presentations and they fit like a glove. I didn't need to wrap it in plastic.
I had one for a Glock 17. Excellent craftmanship. Not functional.
The holster was so incredibly, ridiculously tight, I had to remove the holster and pry the gun out. I tried stretching it with plastic bags over the gun for several months and gave up.
Milt Sparks for me.
Hmm interesting. What is their warranty / repair / refund policy like? Did you try contacting them? If so - how was CS?
It is a very nice looking holster - but I'm picky. Besides the tightness - how did the rest compare to your Milt Sparks?
Ordered mine Wednesday evening for the PPS, received it today. Amazingly quick. Compare that with 6 months for a Milt Sparks or a month or two for a Kramer.
For those concerned by Samuse's feedback, the holster is in no way overly tight. In fact it seems just right...and this is prior to any type of break-in. Presentation and reholstering is natural, it holds the gun close to the body and seems to be of comparable quality to the Kramer #3 IWB I use for my G19. Will have to see how it holds up over time but for now: two thumbs up!
Crappy pic but here's my PPS in the Occidental Stronghold Phoenix I received yesterday:
http://m4carbine.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=7948&stc=1&d=1301791420
gtmtnbiker98
04-03-11, 05:14
I own a Phoenix for my HK45c and a Pancake also. Excellent build quality. Their warranty is for two years and you can't go wrong. Tim Turner actually does work out of this shop and oversees production.
Hmm interesting. What is their warranty / repair / refund policy like? Did you try contacting them? If so - how was CS?
It is a very nice looking holster - but I'm picky. Besides the tightness - how did the rest compare to your Milt Sparks?
I never tried real hard to get them to make it right, they told me to wear it around the house with a plastic bag wrapped around the gun for a few hours.
I left the gun wrapped in 5mil plastic, in the holster and wore it around maybe once a week or so for 7 months. It got a little looser, but was still so tight, that I had to take the holster off and pry the gun out. I seriously thought I was going to have to cut the gun out of the holster the first time I put it in it.
Tim Thurner designed the holster and is a helluva nice guy, the quality of the Phoenix and TT holsters are equal to the Sparks (both are top-notch), but IME (I've tried 3 TTs also), the holsters are just too tight (for me).
This was a couple of years ago and I could have experienced an anomaly, but I talked to several people around the same time frame who had the same experience I did. The holsters now could be better.
If you tried a TT or Phoenix and didn't like it, I'm sure Tim would take care of you. He is an excellent person to do business with.
G34Shooter
04-03-11, 11:50
I've had fantastic experience with both Tim's holsters and Occidental Leather's holsters designed by Tim and made by his father's company. Regarding it being too tight, I did an uconventional method of pulling it open with my hand a little of the time at the mouth which has a metal band and can be squeezed back which saved me a week of breaking it in. I now carry my 9c or FS9 in an Occidental Phoenix IWB designed for my FS9 which I prefer over my old VMII which rode higher. You can see a comparison of pics on my buddies site here:
http://thepackingrat.net/2010/08/31/ttgunleather/
With my old G19
http://i941.photobucket.com/albums/ad251/SShenaniguns/a1442a73.jpg
http://i941.photobucket.com/albums/ad251/SShenaniguns/a1442a73.jpg
Update:
Got the holster for my SW M&P9c and did a test fit. It rides pretty high and the cant is so far forward it sticks out funny on me. I guess it's back to the Comp-Tac infadel for me. :o
LowSpeed_HighDrag
06-17-12, 01:34
Necropost in progress, Mea Culpa.
Does anyone currently carry the Pheonix or any of its variants? It looks to be the leather equivelant of the SCW K25, and the reviews from a year ago are generally positive.
I've owned several and they're by far the most comfortable IWB out there. One of the lowest riding too IIRC
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t294/myersma2/Holsters/9eec7d4a-1.jpg
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t294/myersma2/Holsters/30f651c1.jpg
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t294/myersma2/Glock/23c5366c.jpg
Not mine, but a good illustration of how much lower the TT/Occidental holster ride
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t294/myersma2/Holsters/CIMG6873.jpg
ETA: LSHD you sucked me in! Didn't even see the dates
G34Shooter
06-17-12, 08:15
I love mine and agree with the post above.
LowSpeed_HighDrag
06-17-12, 10:51
Gents,
thanks for the replies. Im really liking this holster. I'll have to sell of some of my kydex pieces to snag one.
Will a G26 fit securely in a G19 holster just as they do in a Kydex offering?
G34Shooter
06-17-12, 11:01
I would think so, I carry a 9c in a FS9 holster.
http://i941.photobucket.com/albums/ad251/SShenaniguns/7a88f29f.jpg
I've carried a G26 in my G17 Pheonix. I've had 4 of them and in my opinion it's the best leather IWB out there when you factor in comfort, build quality and WAIT TIME.
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